


Found

by KrissyG927



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, F/M, Find Me gave me all the feels, Fluff and Angst, not sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 01:47:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29877240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KrissyG927/pseuds/KrissyG927
Summary: ******* Spoiler warning for episode 10/18  Find Me which I bawled my eyes out watching.   Go watch it then read this. **********Alright, I wouldn’t say that Find Me has made me jump ship from Caryl, or my multitude of OCs, or that I am necessarily shipping this, but what I will say is Daryl Dixon got some love and comfort and dare I say happiness FINALLY and I. Am. Here. For. It!!!This episode gave me all the feels, I’m not sorry for writing this and I might write more.As always many thanks to Magentas Nightmare for keeping me from jumping off the ledge, and being my Tabitha. Special thanks to Zanash for the music and ideas, you ladies are the best!!!
Relationships: Daryl/Leah
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	Found

One of these days the ground will drop out from beneath your feet  
One of these days your heart will stop and play its final beat  
One of these days the clocks will stop and time won't mean a thing  
One of these days their bombs will drop and silence everything  
But it's alright  
Yeah it's alright  
I said it's alright  
Easy for you to say  
Your heart has never been broken  
Your pride has never been stolen  
Not yet not yet  
One of these days  
I bet your heart'll be broken  
I bet your pride'll be stolen

These Days by The Foo Fighters

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

I belong with you, find me. 

It had been months and months since Daryl had written those words and placed the note under the floor, with so much hope. He ran back once he had decided, and he couldn’t wait to get back to her for good, forever, for as long as they had. On that day when she wasn’t there he thought she’d be back anytime, or that he’d find her and he could tell her he was there to stay. But it wasn’t how it happened, no matter how much he had wanted it to be so, it wasn’t meant to be, and eventually he had come to acceptance.

The cabin had gone to ruins, and she never came back that he knew of. Leah was just gone and he would never really be over it. He could go long periods of being so busy that he almost forgot her, and being back with the group had helped, but eventually it would all back up on him and he’d have to let himself feel it, remember who she was, because she was somebody. She mattered, Leah wasn’t some random lay and he missed her.

He had gone to check a few times and then once with Carol they had stumbled upon the ruins of the life he had shared with the woman of the woods. That was how Carol found out the whole story. As the sun went down over the mountains, Daryl had told her everything.

He could still see her in his mind as he told Carol what no one but he and Leah had known. The story of them.

Daryl could still picture her standing there in the woods that last day with the sunshine behind her shoulders like so many times before, only this time was the last time. He hadn’t realized that though. He never saw her again after that day.

Beautiful, she was so beautiful and he described that moment so perfectly that a tear had threatened to roll down Carol’s cheek. Daryl had been in love with this woman that was clear and her heart broke for him and for what might have been.

But he had walked away, and he still remembered the sound of the twigs snapping under his feet; he had turned back and looked at her just once, goodbye for now. I’ll be back. He almost stayed that day, it had been so hard to go after their argument, he wished he had. 

Now Leah was gone for good. He still thought about her when he was alone with time on his hands, did she think of him too? Was she even still alive? All he had were memories of the almost year they were together. Fishing and laying on top of that old refrigerator so close together watching the eclipse, making love by the fire; no one had ever gotten that close to him emotionally before.

He remembered her touch, how it had felt after years of going without. He could still remember what her hair felt like when he ran it through his fingers. Often Daryl closed his eyes and thought about her when he was alone at night. It didn’t hurt to remember, he had been happy with her, but it wasn’t exactly pleasant either because he knew what it felt like to belong to someone now, but to also be adrift in a world without them, without her.

Telling the story to someone was cathartic though, it released something inside of him that was dying to break free.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

A stranger's light comes on slowly  
A stranger's heart is out of home  
You put your hands into your head  
And then its smiles cover your heart  
Fade into you  
Strange you never knew  
Fade into you  
I think it's strange you never knew  
Fade Into You by Mazzy Star

It had taken a long time for them to build a rapport. It was months in between meetings sometimes, because they were both out there to be alone. Sometimes he would reach out to her or her to him in the smallest of ways, the only ways they were capable of. Two people in grief trying to escape society as it was now had learned to live side by side. They were separate, but there was a comfort knowing someone else who breathed was out there.

Then it had snowed, and there was an ice storm that hit hard and in the south that was a rare occurrence. Leah had gone to his camp to bring him back to the house where it was warm and let him sleep by the fire. His fingers were almost frozen off and she couldn’t leave him outside in the cold, she wasn’t that person.

It happened gradually, they opened up to each other, told each other about their losses. She was mourning a child, friends, he told her about Rick, and Merle, and Denise and Tara and Glenn and Abraham, everyone who was gone now. 

When it happened with them it wasn’t like in the movies where you’re struck in the heart by cupid's arrow, he just realized one day that he had been living with her for months with no desire to be alone anymore. He still looked for Rick, but he came home to her and she was his peace.

Leah hugged him one time, after he had been gone more than a few days on his search and he allowed himself to fall into her embrace without all of the boundaries he had put up with everyone else and he knew then. This was what everyone always talked about and he always thought he’d never have.

Daryl breathed in the scent of her in that hug and he was home. They ate a quiet dinner and bathed in the river, it was almost summertime, still cold at night. By the fire that night while he was telling her about his days away from her, Leah took his hand in hers, leaned over and kissed him.

They had laid blankets out in front of the fire and had been sitting there talking, but she stirred him now and he wanted more, if she did.

His hands went up behind her head as he moved closer, his fingers winding in her hair gently to hold her in place while he deepened the kiss. His tongue danced across her lips begging for entrance, she parted her lips just enough and he filled her mouth with it and both of them groaned in pleasure, something that neither of them had for such a long time.

There was no talking, there didn’t have to be, he pulled her into his lap as their hands traveled over each other's bodies in the darkness and it was so sweet. 

They stayed that way for a while just kissing, there was no rush. There was nowhere to go and no one but the two of them.

Desire had been on the back burner forever when it was all about survival but as she drew herself up on her knees and pulled her shirt over her head, survival was the last thing on his mind.

Leah’s hands felt so good on his skin, he trembled as she unbuttoned his shirt, kissed his chest softly; this was happening, something he had been so sure would never happen again for him. There was so much that he had inside of him to give her. 

Leah felt his lips on her neck; it felt good, so good that she hissed and arched her back slightly, and he smiled into her skin, "Let me see you...” He groaned into her ear and she sighed. 

Daryl traveled lower with his hot mouth and kissed along the side of her breast then zeroed in on her right nipple with his lips and tongue. There was no going back now and they both knew it.

"Good?"

He didn’t wait for her to answer him, the sigh she let out was from so deep inside of her that he knew she was in complete agreement with him. So he did it again, repeating the same thing on the other nipple except for this time he took the time to swirl his tongue around until he felt it harden and then he sucked hard.

“Mmmmm…so delicious…” He moaned against her breast, then continued sucking, bringing his other hand to her left breast, palming it and feeling the weight of it in his hand.

Leah let out a loud moan that went right to his core as he brought his lips up to hers and kissed her gently, licking her lips until she opened her mouth to him once again.

He was an excellent kisser; when some men kissed you, it was really nice and made you feel good. But when others kissed you, you immediately felt that stomach flip feeling and that longing between your legs for whatever they had for you.

Daryl was the second kind of kisser and Leah immediately felt that pelvic congestion from all of the blood flowing south and the heat of his kiss made her want to tear the rest of their clothes off. When she reached down between them and placed her hand on his concrete hard dick he stopped her.

“Not yet.” He crooned. “There’s so much I wanna do first,” His words lit her on fire as his lips came down her neck with little bites until goose bumps erupted all over her body. He continued down, running his hands over her ribcage, licking her nipples again. This time taking his time and driving her completely out of her mind.  
Leah moaned as she wrapped her legs around his waist and pressed herself against him, while the fire burned both in the fireplace and inside of both of them now.

Daryl let out a grunt against the side of her breast and pressed his hips against hers, and it was the sweetest torture. The weight of her in his lap had him on sensory overload already as he dragged his mouth up to her ear.

“I wanna make you cum, Leah.” He breathed into her ear. “I wanna make you cum so hard.”

Then he was pulling her pants and panties down and off. He rose up on his knees and pulled her by her legs slowly towards him.

“Come ‘ere.” He said in a hushed voice. She felt his hands on her thighs and he moved them slowly towards his goal. “This ok?” He asked.

“Do it.” She whispered back to him.

“I thought you’d never ask…” He growled as he was bringing his lips down to her stomach.

She sucked in her breath as his fingers slid against her wetness, and it felt like he knew exactly what she needed. Daryl kissed down her stomach, while his fingers swirled around below just the way she wanted them to.

“That’s so nice…” He crooned as he slid one and then two fingers inside her deep without hesitation.

“Oh God.” She gasped, digging her heels into the floor and letting her legs fall open in front of him.

“So good Leah.” He groaned, nipping and kissing up her thighs, his mouth was hot and wet, so wet. Then she felt his lips on her clit and then his tongue just right. He was the devil and she would follow him right down to hell as long as he kept doing what he was doing to her.

“Mmmmmmm…” Was all she could get out as she felt his fingers and lips and tongue on her.

Both his hands circled her thighs, spreading her legs wide, as he pushed his tongue inside her. Leah grabbed a pillow and screamed into it and that made him grin against her.

She'd never had anyone go down on her so thoroughly before. A girl could get used to this, or get addicted to it...

He was skillful and gentle and all of the things that she hadn’t had for such a long time was getting her there faster than even she could do herself. The fire was burning low in her belly as he licked her with the flat of his tongue, swirled around her bundle of nerves and then replaced it with his fingers. He moved them faster now and brought his head back up to her stomach.

Daryl never stopped what he was doing with his fingers but he whispered just loud enough for her to hear.

“Let it go, Leah, give it to me.” He dipped his head down and licked her stomach. “I need it, come on baby come on.”

His dirty talk was all she needed to be tipped over the edge.

Then she felt it like a tidal wave, rolling all over her body and all around her. He was holding her down by her stomach and not letting her move, even as she tried to move away when it was too much. It was all she could do to be quiet as she moaned and screamed into the pillow as her body lifted off the floor, while wave after wave hit her like a tsunami.

Daryl didn’t stop, he continued his filthy mission until she was sweating and panting and totally satisfied. She surprised him then, by flipping them over so that she was on top and pulled his pants and boxers down.

His hands came up to her hips and he moved them along with her. Then he was inside her and the world tilted beneath him.

“Jesus Leah, I would have never guessed you’d be like this.” He gasped out, because she was fucking him was like it wasn't their first time. He was blown away as he felt her hips slamming into his and her skin was so hot to his touch as if she had a fever.

"There's a lot you don't know about me." She smiled down at him, letting her hair fall down over his face.

Daryl’s hands found her breasts and he moved his palms against her, making her hiss and slam into him more. Leah didn’t stop, just leaned down to kiss him and he was a goner, she was so much more than he thought she would be.

Under her deep layers a firecracker lived and he grinned to himself because he would be the only one who knew it. He matched her thrust for thrust and it was coming over him fast like lightning.

"Give it to me!" She slammed her hips into his and lay her hands on his chest, " Give it to me, give it all to me!"

"I will honey, I will," He breathed out, gasping for air as his body reacted to her words. 

She was proper and refined, but he knew the other side of her now and that thought was what threw him over the edge into a free fall.

He came in a rush, and saw white behind his eyes; Daryl pulled her down against him as his body shook with aftershocks for what seemed like hours. He rolled them so that they were against each other, her back to his chest. Daryl pulled a blanket over them and snaked his arm around her stomach and they fell asleep in front of the fire, both content for the first time in years.

/////////////////////////////////////////////

And how's it going to be  
When you don't know me anymore  
And how's it going to be  
Want to get myself back in again  
The soft dive of oblivion  
I want to taste the salt of your skin  
The soft dive of oblivion, oblivion

How’s It Gonna Be by Third Eye Blind

Leah was still alive, somewhere, he had to think that she was or else the pain would cripple him. They just weren't together anymore that was all. He had lost people before, this was nothing new but Daryl never grieved like that before. Losing Merle, and Rick, Beth, it all stung. But this was something else. He missed her presence in his daily life and how easy it had been with her once they got to know each other. 

Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance, he had gone through it all. It stung to talk about it still, but he had accepted that she was meant to be in his life for just a short time. Even if that wasn’t what he would choose if he could.

They were both loners and the apocalypse had brought them to each other, while they both fought their own demons and mourned their losses. They fought it, fought with each other until one day it made better sense to be together. She was his equal and that's why he knew she didn't want to be found. 

If she wanted to come back she would. Leah was not some flower that needed to be rescued, not his girl. She was out there still fighting, that was one thing he was sure of. He had told Carol after he had been back a bit and her insight was eye opening.

“She was afraid you’d die out there and she would never know…”

Daryl shook his head, not able to wrap his mind around the concept. She left so she wouldn’t get more attached to him, Carol explained.

“She loved you.” Carol said simply.

“I love her too,” He had answered in the present tense and Carol put her arm around his shoulder.

Daryl had never loved a woman before, it had come to him so late in life. It had taken him by surprise, and changed his life. Now it was gone.

One day he was throwing a fish on her front porch and she was telling him to get lost, then the next thing he knew he was experiencing true intimacy for the first time in his life. 

Carol had offered to help him look, she understood him completely and always had. Daryl had lost so many people and she had too, but he said no. Leah wanted to stay gone, if she wanted to find him she would. She was more than capable. 

"She wanted me to stay with her, but I was too busy chasing a ghost. "

"We all have our stuff Daryl," Carol replied, "Why don't you look for her then?"

"Been back to the house. She ain't been there."

"So what's next?"

"Nothing, she don't wanna be found," He replied, “And she won't be, not if she don’t wanna be.”

///////////////////////

I'm gonna run and run and run and run and run  
I'm coming for you again  
(Oh I'm coming for you again)  
Oh So let the storm come  
Old heat of a raging fire  
Come and light my eyes  
Summer's kiss to electric wire  
But I'll never die  
I will never die  
You can bury my body but I'll never die  
Hickory, oak, pine and weed  
Bury my heart underneath these trees

I will Never Die by Delta Rae

But Carol had other ideas, and she was not about to be stopped. Jerry had told her about a group he had seen while he was on a run, a few towns over. They were living in a school and his group had not been spotted by them, but he had seen something that piqued Carol’s interest. 

Jerry had told her that it was just a few people and one of them was a woman with long hair who wore a fur collared jacket like Leah’s that Daryl had described to her. The woman had a baby with her Jerry told her. Once she heard that she had to know, the woman sounded like her. Maybe it wasn't even her, but what if it was; she could never live with not telling him.

"Leah, I'm looking for Leah," The woman in the road whistled and Carol was now surrounded by five people all armed and dangerous. But she found the one she was looking for, she was sure of it. 

There were other groups out there now, friendlies and otherwise, everyone knew that. Carol had brought just her compound bow, to show she wasn’t a threat to them. But they had her surrounded and they were locked and loaded.

The woman in front of her fit the description Daryl had given, what little he had talked about, because she knew there was a lot more to the story. You don’t spend almost a year with someone without having a million little stories, he told her just a few.

"Leah?"

"Who are you? What do you want?" 

"I'm looking for you." The woman bristled at that comment, she had finally found a community where she felt safe and this woman threatened all of it.

"You don't know me…"

"No. I don't." Carol replied. 

"You're right. So go away there's no one named Leah here," The baby cowered behind her in the child carrier that looked homemade and Carol thought to herself, could it be? Of course it had to be, the timing was right. Daryl had come back a year and a half ago. This child was about six months old

"I'm Daryl's friend…" She answered as Leah cocked the shotgun, but her face gave away the slightest tell and Carol just knew. This was Daryl's Leah. 

"What's your name?" Her finger moved to the trigger but Carol knew she wasn’t going to shoot, there was no danger here.

"Carol," As she spoke Leah lowered the gun, of course he had told her about Carol. 

"What are you doing?" She spoke softly as her shoulders sagged just enough for Carol to notice, then her eyes grew sad.

"Looking for you," She answered. 

"Why?"

"Because he won't, he thinks you want to be alone."

"And maybe I do," She answered, "Daryl would respect that. If you're his friend you would know that."

"Doesn't look like you're alone though, are you?" Carol nodded towards the group and then finally, at the baby.

Leah dropped her gun lower, she had missed him too but leaving was the only thing she could do. 

"Why did you leave?"

"He wasn't ready for this," she waved her hand over herself and towards the baby, the meaning was clear, ”He needed to do what he needed to do without me stopping him."

"He wouldn't see it that way." Carol countered.

"Are you so sure about that?"

"He went back for you, he left...a note. He chose you."

"If he had stayed he would have never had a choice again. It would have been too much to be responsible for."

"Then I'm right about what I'm thinking" Carol replied, "But he would have stayed with you if…he knew. He would have stopped looking for him."

"I know that," Leah whispered, "But he wasn't ready to stop looking."

"That's why you left." Carol suddenly understood, "You do know him."

"Did he find him? Did he find Rick?" 

Carol shook her head, "You have to come back with me."

"I don't have to do anything."

"What's the baby's name?"

"Michael." Leah replied with a slight raise of her chin.

"Shouldn't Michael be allowed to know who his father is?" 

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

He knew her the minute Carol came into view and she was behind her walking with another woman and a man, who were loaded down with supplies. Her hair was longer, if that was possible but she had it piled on top of her head in a bun. As he brought the binoculars up to his eyes he noticed something that he couldn’t see just from looking. She had a baby in a backpack type sling and he assumed she was carrying it for the couple she was with. The idea that he could be a father was so far removed from his mind, that the thought never occurred to him. 

The only thing he could think of was why did Carol butt into his business like this, and then he was seething with anger all over again at Leah because she had left him. 

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

"I need to speak to you in private," Daryl announced after his mind finally grasped the reality that she was back and that things weren't as he first thought they were when he saw her from the top of the wall. 

Nobody bothered them after Daryl grabbed her by the hand and pulled her into the house, it was obvious something was going down. They could hear the yelling on the street, both of them were screaming at each other and no one had ever seen Daryl so animated before. Surprisingly the baby never cried.

Carol and Jerry stood in the street with Michonne, Judith and RJ, soon Maggie and Herschel happened by. The two outsiders kept to themselves, Jamie and Greg, then Arron walked across the street to see what the ruckus was about.

“What happened.” He asked as he came upon his group but nodded to the two newcomers who obviously knew what was going on.

“Carol found Leah.” Jerry filled him in. 

“Daryl has a kid,” Michonne added.

“Wait, I just took a nap. When did all this happen?”

They all shut up when the yelling stopped and Daryl opened the door and stepped out on the porch. The little crowd tried to act like they weren’t listening, but it was obvious they were.

“Ah, they're gonna be staying here from now on, we’re gonna go get her people, bring ‘em back here.” It was obvious he was mortified by his own behavior, but resolute in what needed to be done.

“Ok then,” Michonne answered.

Friends and liars don't wait for me  
I'll get on all by myself  
I put millions of miles  
Under my heels  
And still too close to you  
I feel  
I am not your rolling wheels  
I am the highway  
I am not your carpet ride  
I am the sky  
I am not your blowing wind  
I am the lightning  
I am not your autumn moon  
I am the night  
The night  
I Am The Highway by Audioslave


End file.
